Everton owner Farhad Moshiri insisted on representing the club at their independent commission hearing which resulted in their historic point deduction, sources have told Football Insider.
The Toffees were handed a 10-point penalty last Friday (17 November) which leaves them 19th in the table after 12 games.
A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Moshiri principally represented Everton himself at the hearing – which looked at over 40,000 documents before concluding.
Sources say the British-Iranian businessman “didn’t come across well” and was “slaughtered” by members of the expert panel.
Former Everton chiefs executives Denise Barrett-Baxendale and Keith Wyness both offered to give evidence to the commission on behalf of the club.
But those offers were rejected by Moshiri, who insisted on taking the lead and
Everton have already publicly stated their intention to appeal the punishment – and that appeal will be heard by a new panel of financial experts and lawyers.
Football Insider revealed on Saturday (18 November) that the Merseysiders expect their 10-point deduction to be significantly reduced after appeal.
The expectation at Goodison Park is that the deduction will be potentially halved or more, to around the “three to six points” mark.
The punishment came about after the commission found Everton’s losses to 2021-22 amounted to £124.5million, more than the permitted loss of £105million over three years.
Moshiri is in the process of selling his 91.4% stake in Everton to Miami-based firm 777 Partners, with a deal reportedly worth more than £500million agreed in September.
However, Football Insider revealed on Wednesday (22 November) that 777 Partners are preparing to re-enter negotiations over the price of the takeover as the club gear up for a huge legal battle.
On the pitch, Sean Dyche’s side are next in action against Man United at home on Sunday (26 November).
In other news, Everton want to sign forward duo in January.
